A microvaporizer, such as an e-cigarette, includes a mouthpiece, a heating element (also called an “atomizer ”), a tank, and a battery. The e-cigarette can be in any shape and size, although it is generally cylindrical. The tank stores liquids that would be vaporized by the atomizer to create vapor for a user, also called an “e-liquid ”The atomizer is typically a heating coil that is put in contact with the e-liquid to produce vapor when the e-cigarette is activated. Typically, the tank is a permanent and refillable part of the microvaporizer. The tank is attached to the atomizer and attached to the body of the vaporizer, including a battery portion on the opposite end. Some of the commercial tanks also include the heating coil inside a portion of the tank for vaporization of the e-liquid stored in the tank.
The conventional tank includes an outer casing that forms the exterior surface of the tank, and an inner casing that defines a middle air passage in the center of the tank. The e-liquid is stored in the surrounding chamber, which is located in between the outer casing and the inner casing of the tank.
The conventional tank poses several inconveniences to a user. The tank is refilled by adding e-liquid to the surrounding chamber using a dripper or squeeze bottle. It is important that the user only fills the surrounding chamber in the tank, and to avoid adding e-liquid to the middle air passage. If the e-liquid is added to the middle air passage, then the user will taste the e-liquid in the mouthpiece. The surrounding chamber is typically small in volume and difficult to refill due to its small opening between the outer casing and the inner casing of the tank. A dripper or squeeze bottle is needed to aid the user to reach the opening and refill the e-liquid into the surrounding chamber. For accuracy, the user may even have to tilt the tank to a certain angle to ensure a more accurate access to the surrounding chamber when refilling the tank.
Furthermore, if the user wants to use the e-cigarette for an extended period of time away from home, the user will need to carry a bottle of e-liquid with a dripper, or e-liquid stored inside a squeeze bottle, in addition to the e-cigarette while traveling. Moreover, it is difficult for the user to refill the tank if there is no steady light and/or surface for the user to perform the delicate task of accurately refilling e-liquid into the surrounding chamber only.
An attempt to provide a disposable cartridge has been discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,910,639, in which the smoking article includes a control body that houses the battery, and a disposable cartridge that is detachably connected to the control body. The cartridge includes a resistive heating element and storage of a product for vaporization. By including a resistive heating element, the cost of the disposable cartridge in the '639 patent may be high due to the complexity of the components in the cartridge during manufacturing. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost may also be high because the resistive heating element is costly. In turn, the high manufacturing cost is also reflected on the retail price of the disposable cartridges for consumers.
In addition, the conventional tank includes fluid openings at the bottom portion of the tank, which the fluid openings are usually connected to an atomizer, air flow passages, and the battery. Having fluid openings at the bottom portion of the tank increase the possibility of fluid leakage through the connecting portions between the tank and the atomizer, and the atomizer and the air flow passages. Even if the connecting portions include seals to prevent leakage, when the seals are worn from use, leakage will occur, even merely by gravitational pull.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved disposable cartridge for a microvaporizer, such as an e-cigarette, that is easier to use and replace, less likely to have fluid leakage, cheaper to manufacture, and be more affordable for the consumers.